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Alix Goolden Performance Hall
August 12, 2006
Of instruments of strenges in acord
Herde I so playe a ravyshynge swetnesse
That God, that makere is of al and lord
Ne herde nevere beter, as I gesse.
In the 600 or so years since Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his Parlement of Foules, I would venture to suggest, little has changed; the sound of a string orchestra does indeed have a ravishing sweetness - and much more besides.
On Saturday evening in the Alix Goolden Performance Hall, the results of two weeks' hard work were on display for all to hear and, while I may occasionally have 'herde betere', rarely have I heard such a splendid combination of talent, enthusiasm and accomplishment.
During the last week or so I had been hearing that this year's student group was a particularly good one; the very opening of Locatelli's Concerto Grosso, Op.12 No.1 confirmed the rumours: there was a confidence about the playing, intonation was excellent - as were balances - and there was a real depth to the sound.
Malcolm Forsyth directed an excellent performance, with well sprung rhythms and a nice delineation between the concertante group (Jeremy Ferland, Megan Dalke, Clayton Leung and Jayden Leung) and the ripieno.
For Haydn's Symphony No.29 the group was strengthened by the addition of two oboes and two horns (courtesy, unless I'm mistaken, of the Civic Orchestra).
Although Haydn tends to use the horns, in particular, for harmonic and textural effects, nonetheless their presence (and the oboes) adds immeasurably to the overall sound.
The opening movement was both elegant and lively, the second featured excellent interplay between first and second violins (placed, as they should be for music from this this period, antiphonally). The minuet, with well-observed dynamics, contrasted nicely with the more mysterious, hushed trio; the finale, compete with "Mannheim Rockets", sizzled along in a highly energetic fashion.
Forsyth's own Sketches from Natal opened the second half of the concert - with the cellos now to the right and the violins together on the left. It is an attractive and atmospheric work, which features some thoroughly idiomatic writing for the strings and effective solos for oboe and horn.
The music received what one must assume to be an authoritative performance, very well played indeed. I especially enjoyed the central section of the second movement, with its running viola figure, and the long buildup to the close, immaculately handled.
I admit to having an ambiguous relationship with Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. While agreeing wholeheartedly with Forsyth that it represents the "very apogee" of 19th century string ensemble writing, it is not a work I often listen to at home or feel compelled to go out of my way to hear in concert. (And before you get the wrong idea, I'd just point out that I have similar feelings about Beethoven's 5th)
And yet...when well-played and sympathetically conducted - alas, it is frequently neither, let alone both - it provides a musical experience for which one ought to be prepared to put oneself out.
As indeed Saturday's concluding performance proved. The wonderful opening allowed the group to revel in the sheer beauty of the sound they were producing and, in the succeeding allegro, the performance took flight.
The waltz was all a waltz should be, with some nicely-observed rubato and a delicate close; and the elegy was ravishing. After a full-bodied introduction, the finale, although not especially fast, was clear, crisp and possessed of plenty of moment. After the glorious reappearance of the work's opening music, the accelerando which continued until the last bar, brought the music to a boisterous and exciting close.
I believe I have attended every Summer String Academy closing concert - I even recognise some of the players' faces - but this is, by some margin, the finest ensemble yet. True there was the occasional - and I mean occasional - misintonation or hint of scrappy ensemble; and the violins, in their upper register, were sometimes a little edgy. But these are minor points and should not be allowed to detract from the superb playing and musicianship displayed.
And clearly Malcolm Forsyth is a conductor of insight, who has the ability to get the very best out of his young musicians - and yet allow them to enjoy themselves, as they so obviously were.
Violins: Rebecca Atkinson, Ricky Chan, Megan Dalke, Jeremy Ferland, Molly Janz, Jasmeet Jernail, Mark Johnston, Caitlin Lang, Hollas Longton, Micah Ringham, Alex Sachs, Jennifer Whittle, Laia Zubrecki. Violas: Joe Hundley, Guyonne le Louarn, Clayton Leung, Leah Wilder. Cellos: Rosanna Butterfield, Haigan Day, Alex Hauka, Noah James, Jayden Leung, Christina Markle, Naomi McLean, Matthew Ross. Double bass: Darren Buhr. Oboes: James Warner, Gail Nash. Horns: Karen Hough, Sandy Sandford. Harpsichord: Kumiko Hitomi.
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